Inspect your brake calipers if you have a g80 rear axle

[OR VietVet]

I won't go to a shop that is TOO clean. A mom & pop shop with oil and kitty litter on the floor is usually the kind that is busy enough all day and barely have time to sweep up between jobs. If they're that busy, then they have enough repeat customers to fill their day from open to close. A shop that is too clean and has a buffet of free snacks? I can't bring myself to trust that kind of shop. Especially chain-owned/franchise shops.

When I ran shops I would tell customers that busy shops have to schedule you in because they stay busy. If a shop can get you right in, there is usually a reason. Key thing is if you see the techs playing Frisbee in the parking lot. Labor rates around here are anywhere between $120 to $180 an hour. Some are less and the higher ones are dealers. I do my side work at $60 an hour. I am thinking of doing $75 an hour though.

 

[Sam Harris]

When I ran shops I would tell customers that busy shops have to schedule you in because they stay busy. If a shop can get you right in, there is usually a reason. Key thing is if you see the techs playing Frisbee in the parking lot. Labor rates around here are anywhere between $120 to $180 an hour. Some are less and the higher ones are dealers. I do my side work at $60 an hour. I am thinking of doing $75 an hour though.

$60 an hour is extremely reasonable. Hell, so is $75.. especially for a GOOD mechanic who knows wtf is up!

 

[OR VietVet]

$60 an hour is extremely reasonable. Hell, so is $75.. especially for a GOOD mechanic who knows wtf is up! View attachment 394947

When you consider that all the better shops in town are at least $100 an hour and most start out at $120 an hour and then up from there, I see no problem with me charging $75 an hour. Plus, I make no money on parts.

 

[Alex_M]

Same boat. The shop I managed was $150/hr, but that's high for my region. North of dealer prices prices which last I checked were $125-140/hr. Owner was hard to talk to about business - had his own ideas about how things worked and not much to back them up - hence why I left. Shop flopped a few months later.

I charge $75-100/hr depending on the job, the vehicle, customer disposition. That's a bit high for indie work, but I work fast and I work clean, and for any less I'd rather spend time with my family.

I agree, if shops in your area are charging that much then you should definitely up your rate to $75 at least.

 

[OR VietVet]

Same boat. The shop I managed was $150/hr, but that's high for my region. North of dealer prices prices which last I checked were $125-140/hr. Owner was hard to talk to about business - had his own ideas about how things worked and not much to back them up - hence why I left. Shop flopped a few months later.

I charge $75-100/hr depending on the job, the vehicle, customer disposition. That's a bit high for indie work, but I work fast and I work clean, and for any less I'd rather spend time with my family.

I agree, if shops in your area are charging that much then you should definitely up your rate to $75 at least.

I put the word out tonight, at my American Legion, that I am now $75 an hour and $25 for an oil change. They can supply parts but if I do the search and order, is another $10.

 

[LordWayback]

Wow. BS like this is why people don't trust mechanics.

I'd tell them not to bill one more hour. Hire a tow home or to another shop. $165/hr is ludicrous.

Audacity to say “cheaper than the dealer” however they said if I bring my truck with rotors installed they’ll do my parking brake for free what a deal

 

[LordWayback]

And this is why I work on my own shit!
I’m too broke to afford that kind of bill!
I’ll literally be changing parts in the parking lot then tell the shop to recharge my ac so I diddnt have to pay for a compressor install or check my alignment so I diddnt have to pay for having tie rods or struts install
There’s only ONE shop around home I go too because my boy Cody is a GURU for suspension and anything Chevrolet so he’s the only one I trust to do my alignments.
Shit when they recharged my ac I don’t even think he charged me for it as I already paid for my alignment and he diddnt it want to do another ticket. He told the boss it was full and diddnt need to be done and let me slip out the door. These are the types of shops you want to look for! Most shops will **** you just because they think they can get away with it

Another shop I go to is like that however I was trying to not inconvenience the tow truck driver

 

[Alex_M]

Audacity to say “cheaper than the dealer” however they said if I bring my truck with rotors installed they’ll do my parking brake for free what a deal

....the rotors have to come off to replace the parking brake shoes....

 

[LordWayback]

....the rotors have to come off to replace the parking brake shoes..

The parking brake shoes are brand new the rotors are worn

 

[MassHoe04]

Heads-up... I put on cheapest rotors and could not get parking brake to hold anything at all. I had RMV inspection coming up. I replaced cables and hardware, before giving up and bringing to my mechanic.

He spent a long time in labor, only to find out the hubs had less clearance at the inside edge of the rotor than the inside wall of the "hat". He adjusted to just scrape by the outer edge, but there was too much room inside. The shoe wouldn't push out far enough to get a grip.

He replaced with NAPA premium polymer coated rotors. Much more expensive, but he go the parking brake to hold.

Maybe the cheaper rotors had some tolerance issues in production or I just got bad ones...

Saving money on cheap rotors ended up costing me about $650 above what I already put into the rear brakes.

Just food for thought.